Loose leaf binder



June 1943- E. F. BUENGER EIAL 2,320,404

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 8, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l w a H mm. a M u fi l a m June 1, 1943. BUENGER E 2,320,404

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 8, 19:58

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Idwand ZBa/eW/zfi Mia/7L @15 J ne 1, 1 E. F. BUENGER ETAL LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 8, 1938 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 g haw/Z07 5.- Izfuardlbaewar WMZSOR 7 M @y- Patented 'June 1, 1943 LOOSE LEAF BINDER Edward F. Buenger, Oak Park, and William Nelson, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Wilson-Jones Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 8, 1938, Serial No. 233,938

This invention relates to a loose leaf binder 1 Claim.

particularly adapted to receive a plurality of banks of overlapping sheets and to shift a portion of the contents relative to the rest of the contents.

It is an object of this invention to provide a loose leaf binder with simple and efficient means for shifting one series of sheet retaining prongs relative to the other series of sheet retaining prongs and with releasable means for preventing accidental shifting of said prongs when the binder is in its intermediate position. Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a loose leaf binder embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the binder in intermediate position;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the binder in intermediate position with portions broken away to facilitate illustration of the structure;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the binder in shift position;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line VII--VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the locking slide; and

Figure 9 is a perspective detail view of the stop member.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 2 and. 3 designates a pair of back sections hinged together as indicated at 4. The hinge 4 is provided with a plurality of gaps 5 adapted to permit shifting of the back sections relative to each other along the hinge 4. Cover members 6 and l are hinged to the back sections 2 and 3, as indicated at 8 and. 9, respectively. The back section 2 is provided with a prong carrying plate upon which a plurality of curved sheet retaining prongs H is rigidly mounted. The back section 3 is provided with a similar prong carrying plate l2 having prongs l3 spaced longitudinally of the prongs H. A plurality of sheets I4 is arranged on the prongs H and I3 in overlapping position.

A box member is mounted in the back section 2 and a somewhat similar box member I6 is mounted in the back section 3. A pair of curved latching bars I! project from the box member [5 and enter slots l8 provided in the box member It. The latching bars are each provided with a pair of notches I9, 29 adapted to engage a locking slide 2| mounted in the back section 3 to hold the back sections in closed or intermediate position, respectively. The locking slide is notched, as indicated at 22, to provide shoulders 23 adapted to engage the notches I9, 20. The locking slide 2| is provided with a finger piece 24 adapted to be pushed inwardly to disengage the shoulders 23 from the notches l9 or 20. A spring 25 having one end secured to the locking slide and its other end secured to the box member l6 exerts constant force to urge the locking slide outwardly towards its locking position. The slots 18 are long enough so that when the back sections are shifted relatively to each other while in their intermediate position the latching bars remain in engagement with the locking slide.

A stop member 26 is pivotally mounted in one end of the box member l6, One end of the box member l5 is apertured, as indicated at 28, to provide a bearing for a trunnion 29 projecting from one end of the stop member. A similar trunnion 30 is mounted in a notch formed in a plate 3| riveted to the top wall of the box member It. The stop member 26 is provided with a finger piece 32 which projects through the top wall of the box member l6 and may be depressed to move it to inoperative position. A spring 33 mounted on a stud 34 which is secured to the top wall of the box member l6 exerts a constant force against the stop member 26 urging it towards operative position.

When the binder is in its intermediate position and the stop member is in operative position, the stop member engages the latching bar I! to prevent accidental shifting of the back sections relative to each other. The stop member may be released from operative position by depressing the finger piece 32 against the action of the spring 33 and the back sections may then be shifted easily. The spring 33 automatically returns the stop member 26 to operative position as soon as the back sections are moved from shift position to normal position.

The stop member 26 is provided with a projection 35 adapted to engage a notch 36 in the locking slide when the back sections are in normal position. When the back sections are in fully opened position the latching bar I! does not engage the locking slide 2| and the projection 35 is then effective to prevent the spring 25 from moving the locking slide to its outermost position. Otherwise it would be necessary to push the locking slide inwardly, or to shift the back sections, every time the back sections are in fully opened position in order to close them in normal position, because the latching bar I! cannot enter the notch 22 when the locking slide 2| is in its outermost position unless the back sections are in shift position. When the back sections are inintermediate position, the latching bar I! engages the notch 22 and is effective to hold the locking slide against the action of the spring 25.

The box member I6 is provided with a safety prong 3'! adapted to enter a slot 38 in the box member I5 when the back sections are in their normal position. The length of the slot 38 is substantially equal to the width of the safety prong 31 so that the safety prong cannot enter the slot when the back sections are in shift position. The safety prong therefore prevents closing of the binder in shift position.

Although we have described -a preferred embodiment of our invention in considerable detail,

it will be understood that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details may be modified or changed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly we do not desire to be restricted to the exact structure described, except as limited by the appended claim.

We claim:

In a loose leaf binder, a pair of hinged back sections, a latching bar projecting from one of said back sections, a locking slide mounted in said other back section, said latching bar and said locking slide engaging each other to hold said back sections in intermediate position, said back sectionsbeing shiftable longitudinally relative to each other in said intermediate position, said locking slide remaining in engagement with said latching bar and moving relative to said second mentioned back section, and a releasable stop member adapted to prevent said relative movement of said locking slide and said second mentioned back section.

- EDWARD F. BUENGER.

WILLIAM NELSON, 

